Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Is the Cha Dao a road paved with violence?

For René Girard (1923-Nov. 4 2015), the French philosopher who has long taught at Stanford, people are in conflict because they have the same desires. Humans like to imitate others and desire what others have. Conflicts then arise as we become competitors for the same object. And the more we desire something, the more we feel we deserve it. Anger and violence follow if we can't satisfy our desire.

This theory applies to teas as well. We all want to taste famous teas, leaves that people talk about around us (or online). It works for me: when readers write a comment or an e-mail to describe their positive experience with one of my teas, I often brew that tea soon myself! This imitation stems from a desire to share the same experience and thereby feeling closer, connected.

Spring 2015 Ali Shan Qingxin Oolong

Conflict happens when the tea or the tea ware we desire is not in our possession. Money is the practical and almost peaceful way we resolve the conflict. But if the price is high, we "feel the pain" of the purchase. Yes, this violence causes pain. High prices also generate verbal violence. Some may accuse the seller of being crazy, greedy... or it's your friends who say that you must be crazy to spend such an amount on tea/ tea ware.

René Girard also explains that we need a scapegoat to bring back harmony between us. In recent years, I think that the rich Chinese businessman has become the scapegoat for rising prices of top quality teas and antique wares. A thought that is so violent that it borders on racism... But even many Taiwanese think so!

The best way to deal with this violence is to choose teas that are within your means. This doesn't necessarily mean choosing only cheap teas. It can also mean using fewer leaves per session and reserving the best teas for special occasions. I noticed that Buddhist monks who order from me occasionally purchase large quantities of my light oxidized Oolongs from Zhushan and only few High Mountain Oolongs and puerhs. Several wealthy professionals with a passion for tea often only purchase Da Yu Ling Oolong. As long as one stays within his means, it's OK.

But tea also differs from other products because the leaves are not the finished product. How we brew the tea also contributes greatly to its enjoyment. Choosing good water, fitting wares and setup all add or subtract from the Chaxi experience. Have you learned to choose wisely among the items you already have? And does your attitude, your movements during the brewing show your skill and passion for tea? This mix of experience and character is more valuable than the ownership of famous teas and wares. It's the difference between a lottery winner and a self-made man.

Ultimately, the tea happiness from a Chaxi comes from the creation of harmony with your own vision. It's not just about feeling accepted by others because you brew the same tea the same way. It's going further than that and using tea to express your own creativity, your own style and feelings. Tea meets art.